News outlet SBS funE has released another exclusive report pertaining to the case surrounding a chatroom involving BIGBANG’s Seungri.

The report states that hidden camera footage and photos were shared in the chatroom that included Seungri and two other male singers. According to a source who has knowledge of the case, “There were approximately ten instances of hidden camera footage and photos that were illegally taken and then shared. Some of the videos and photos were shared in the chatroom that Seungri and other celebrities were a part of.”

The SBS funE reporter has released more text messages, the new ones dated at 8:42 p.m. KST on January 9, 2016. The person involved was Mr. Kim, who is an acquaintance of Seungri who was helping Seungri with his restaurant business, and he also worked at Club Arena, which the police issued a search warrant for. On January 9, 2016, Mr. Kim posted a video and photos of a man and woman engaging in sexual intercourse.

According to the text messages, Seungri responded to the initial video by asking, “Who’s that?” before recognizing the man in the video and identifying him by name. The man in question was in the chatroom. In the video, the woman appeared to be intoxicated and unaware that she was being filmed. Mr. Kim then went on to post three photos of the woman that were secretly taken. The man in the video didn’t appear to be phased by the video and photos being shared, laughing it off. It appears that the man was aware he was being filmed. Mr. Kim was the one who set up the cameras, but this has not been confirmed.

According to SBS funE’s reporting, a total of eight people were in the chatroom, Seungri, two male singers, CEO Yoo of Yoori Holdings, acquaintance Mr. Kim, one entertainment agency employee, and two regular citizens. All eight people saw the video and photos that were posted, but nobody spoke up about the potential problems with the situation.

SBS funE reported that the police has secured other text messages that show similar acts of spreading hidden camera footage. A source from the investigation stated, “Most of the women who were being filmed were not aware they were being filmed.” Other hidden videos were most likely shared within the chatroom as well. According to laws regarding sexual violence crimes, filming or sharing hidden camera footage is subject to five years or less in prison or 30 million won (approximately $26,500) in fines.

Additional investigation seems to be inevitable as allegations of hidden camera footage have surfaced on top of allegations that sexual escort services were sought. The investigation team is currently in possession of all the chatroom text messages, and the people in the chatroom, including Seungri and the other male celebrities, will be called in for additional questioning.

The police have responded to the latest allegations of BIGBANG’s Seungri and his involvement in sharing illegally taken footage and photos.

On March 11, SBS funE exclusively reported that hidden camera footage and photos were shared in a chatroom that included Seungri, two other male singers, and others. The report stated that there were approximately 10 instances where footage and photos that were taken illegally were shared in the chatroom.

In one instance, Mr. Kim, an acquaintance of Seungri who helped the idol with his restaurant business and also worked at Club Arena, posted a video and photos of a man and woman engaging in sexual intercourse on January 9, 2016.

In response, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated, “We were already aware of the allegations of Seungri [and others] sharing hidden camera footage and photos [in the chatroom]. We are currently checking the details [regarding the allegations].”

Min Gab Ryong, the chief of the National Police Agency, also commented on the overall case at a press conference that took place in the morning of March 11. He said, “Even if [Seungri] enlists, the police can’t pull out from the investigation. We will continue to investigate by consulting with the Ministry of National Defense.”

When asked if the principal investigator [on the case] will be switched to the military prosecution, chief Min Gab Ryong answered, “There were instances in the past where the police could continue with the investigation if a case was considered important and in need of investigation by the police.”

He concluded, “We will have to consider different ways [of investigation] before [Seungri] enlists as part of procedure, but the police will continue to investigate after consulting with the Ministry of National Defense.”

On March 11, the police revealed that several other celebrities were also in the KakaoTalk group chat suggesting that Seungri and CEO Yoo of Yuri Holdings were providing sexual escort services for foreign investors.

The police explained that an investigation unit from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency called in some of the celebrities who were in the group chat as witnesses and interrogated them about the conversation that was exchanged in the chatroom. It is not clear whether the celebrities had said anything in the chatroom or cooperated with those who were actively participating in it.

According to Yonhap News’s report, singer “A,” who debuted as a singer and is actively appearing on TV, was one of the celebrities in the group chat.

Previously on February 26, SBS funE released text messages that were allegedly shared between Seungri, CEO Yoo of Yuri Holdings, and an employee in 2015. The contents of the messages implied that they were hiring prostitutes at Club Arena (a club located in the Gangnam district) for foreign business investors, and both YG and Yuri Holdings denied the claims in separate statements. One day later, Seungri underwent questioning at the police station and shared his willingness to cooperate with any further questioning.

On March 10, the police searched Club Arena, and later in the day, Seungri, along with three to four other people in the KakaoTalk group chat, were booked for aiding in providing sexual escort services.

YG’s Stocks Drop After News Of Seungri Being Booked + Other Agencies’ Stocks Also Fall

YG Entertainment’s stocks plunged following news of the police booking BIGBANG member Seungri.

On March 11 at 2:40 p.m. KST, YG’s stock prices fell 6700 won (approximately $5.90) and 15.61 percent to 36,850 won (approximately $32.47). YG’s stocks decreased for five days in a row starting February 26, when the first report about Seungri allegedly seeking sexual escort services for foreign investors was released. On March 8, YG’s stocks rose back to 43,000 won (approximately $37.89), but their stocks are falling again following news of the police booking Seungri on March 10.

Meanwhile, SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment have also seen a decline in their own stocks, with SM’s stocks priced at 39,900 won (approximately $35.16), which is a 11.92 percent decline from the previous day, and JYP’s stocks at 29,450 won (approximately $25.95), a 2.16 percent decline from the previous day.

FNC Entertainment’s stocks have also dropped greatly, as it is valued at 9,090 won (approximately $8.01), which is a 11.32 percent fall from the previous day. Cube Entertainment’s stocks fell 5.03 percent to 5,470 won (approximately $2.82) as well.

Police Ban Seungri From Leaving The Country Due To Investigation

The police have prohibited BIGBANG’s Seungri from leaving the country after booking him for allegedly providing sexual escort services for foreign investors.

On March 11, The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency banned Seungri from leaving the country after booking him, meaning that his status was changed from that of a target of investigation (the stage before someone becomes a suspect in Korean criminal law) to that of a suspect.

Because Seungri will be enlisting in the army on March 25, the police is planning to speed up the investigation.

All of this begins with SBS funE’s report on February 26, where they released text messages that were allegedly shared between Seungri, CEO Yoo of Yuri Holdings, and an employee in 2015. The contents of the messages implied that they were hiring prostitutes at Club Arena (a club located in the Gangnam district) for foreign business investors, and both YG and Yuri Holdings denied the claims in separate statements. One day later, Seungri underwent questioning at the police station and shared his willingness to cooperate with any further questioning.

On March 10, the police searched Club Arena, and later in the day, Seungri, along with three to four other people in the KakaoTalk group chat, were booked for aiding in providing sexual escort services.

YTN released an exclusive report regarding how the chatroom with Seungri discussing sexual escort services was leaked.

According to their report, the chatroom messages were obtained from a fellow celebrity’s phone.

The report explained that a celebrity, who is also in the same chatroom, sent in his cellphone to get repaired. The full story was discovered through this cellphone and this is how the whistle blowing and the subsequent investigations began.

Following initial reports regarding suspicions of setting up sexual escort services for overseas investors, the police began their investigations and the prosecution issued a search and seizure warrant to investigate Club Arena. It was also recently revealed that illegal hidden camera footage of sexual acts were shared.

The police have called in the other celebrities in the chatroom as witnesses. After these revelations, Seungri announced his retirement in an Instagram post. His military enlistment is currently scheduled to take place on March 25.